Vocational-Agriculture Building
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Pershing County School District Building (Vocational-Agriculture Building)
1941, Russell Mills. 1150 Elmhurst St.
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(Photograph by Julie Nicoletta)
The National Youth Administration (NYA) built the structure to house vocational education programs run by the Pershing County School District. One of only two New Deal-era buildings associated with the NYA in Nevada, the long, low structure stands near the high school, which was also designed by Mills and built in 1950. Stucco over wood frame gives the building a smooth finish. Lines incised in the upper portions of the walls emphasize the building's horizontality. A low parapet hides the double-arched wood-frame truss roof. The main entrance is set to one side, marked by a slightly projecting bay that breaks above the parapet. The placement of the entry permitted the building to accommodate a large workshop area. The building was used for its original purpose until the early 1990s, when the school district converted it into offices, replacing all the original windows with reflective glass. This alteration has marred what was an exceptionally well-preserved building.
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